Page 108 of I'm Looking for a Man in Finance
I blinked at her, dazed from another afternoon spent face-down in a blanket cocoon. “Rox, you quit your job, too.”
“Yeah,” she said with a shrug. “But I’ve got a bunch of photography gigs lined up this month—weddings, engagements, a branded shoot for a restaurant. It’s more than enough to cover everything if you need me to float us for a bit.”
My lip quivered at her kindness. “I … I think I’m okay for this month,” I managed, voice scratchy. “But I’ll let you know. I promise.”
“Okay.” She nodded and set something on the coffee table—it was a fresh glass of water and a small stack of Saltines. “Now,” she said, pulling her phone from behind her back, “I have someone on the line for you.”
“Who is it?” I croaked.
“It’s your mom.” Roxie held out the phone, her expression somewhere between sympathetic and no-nonsense. It was clear my time wallowing on our couch was over.
I hesitated, my throat still raw from days of crying. Taking a deep breath, I reached out and reluctantly accepted the phone.
My mom’s voice, filled with concern, wrapped around me like a blanket I didn’t realize I needed.
“Hallie? Are you there?”
Hearing her made my chest ache. I missed being little, when a hug from her and a grilled cheese sandwich could fix everything.
“I’m here,” I whispered. The words wobbled out of my mouth.
“Roxie said you’re having a hard time?” she asked gently. “What’s happened, honey?”
“I screwed up, Mom,” I sobbed.
Roxie handed me another tissue and I blew my noseinto it with the kind of dramatic force that could have scared away wild animals.
My mother listened patiently as I spilled my heart out, sharing mine and James’s story. From meeting at the dinner party, to our agreement, to my utter surprise when I realized I was developing feelings for him. I told her how, for a split second, I felt like everything in my life was finally working out. Only for the universe to laugh in my face, as if I could be that lucky.
“And James won’t talk to you?” she asked gently, once I finally paused for breath.
“No, he hasn’t even opened up a single text I’ve sent him.” Defeat weighed heavily on my shoulders. I simply couldn’t fathom that the two of us were over, just like that.
“Oh, honey …”
Her voice cracked slightly, and somehow that made the tears return, freshly sprung from a well I thought I’d emptied.
“Everything happens for a reason, Hallie. You may not understand it all now, but days, weeks, years from now, you will. All of this has happened to put you in a position that future you will benefit from.”
“But why does this kind of stuff have to hurt so much?” I sniffled.
“The best kinds of things in life don’t come for free.” My mother sighed, as if she knew intimately the pain I was going through. “And if you want my advice, if James won’t listen to you, and you really do like him, then make him listen.”
These were the moments, when life felt too hard to carry by myself, that I wished I lived closer to my familyso they could shoulder some of the weight. But my parents raised me to be strong. She reminded me that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of light waiting to guide us forward.
I glanced over at Roxie, who was adding to the mood board we’d created for our website, realizing I knew just the thing to do with what my mom was suggesting.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie. Now pick yourself up. You’re stronger than this. Just know that your dad and I love you. But most importantly, webelievein you.”
As I hung up the phone, a spark of determination ignited within me.
I stood up from the couch, ready to face the world once again. The tissues and popcorn bowls scattered around the room suddenly seemed like remnants of a past that no longer defined me. It was time to clean up the physical mess and, more importantly, my emotional mess. It was time I did something about it.
I took a long, overdue shower while Roxie started on our apartment. By the time I stepped out of the steamy bathroom, I felt brand new.
“So, what’s the plan?” Roxie asked me as she loaded the last of the dishes in our dishwasher, one of the prized possessions of our tiny New York apartment. Between the two of us, I was normally the organized one, the one with a plan. While Roxie moved with the wind and made decisions based on “vibes”.
